Various industrial processes exist for the manufacture of formaldehyde and methyl ketones, notably acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone.
The most common method for manufacturing formaldehyde involves the oxidation of methanol with air over a suitable catalyst. In one such method a rich methanol-air mixture is passed over a platinum catalyst at 635.degree. C. A newer method of this type involves use of a lean methanol-air mixture and a ferric oxide-molybdenum oxide catalyst. Controlled air-oxidation of methane is another satisfactory method for producing formaldehyde.
To synthesize acetone, dehydrogenation of isopropanol is a commonly used procedure. Dehydrogenation of sec-butanol or the oxidation of butane are commercially feasible methods for producing methyl ethyl ketone, whereas catalytic reduction of mesityl oxide is a common way of producing methyl isobutyl ketone.